Calculator
Substrate Calculator
How much aquasoil, sand or gravel you need for your tank.
By Mike Elmira
Enter the tank footprint and how deep you want the substrate. A planted tank usually wants 5 to 8 cm at the front, sloping deeper toward the back, so round up and add a bag for the slope.
Buy too little substrate and you are back at the shop mid-scape; buy too much and you have a spare bag gathering dust. Enter your tank footprint and how deep you want the bed and this works out the litres you need, plus a rough weight so you know how many bags to carry home. A planted tank usually wants five to eight centimetres, sloping deeper at the back, so round up and allow a little extra for the slope.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
How much substrate do I need for my aquarium?
Multiply the tank length by width by your chosen depth in centimetres and divide by 1000 for the litres. A 60 by 30 cm footprint at 6 cm deep needs about 10.8 litres. Round up and add a bit for a back-to-front slope, which most scapes want.
How deep should aquarium substrate be?
Around 5 to 8 cm for a planted tank, deeper at the back for depth and to root taller plants, shallower at the front. Carpets need at least 3 to 4 cm to root into. Too shallow and roots struggle, too deep and the lower layer can go anaerobic.